Upper merged ontology for it architecture

ABSTRACT

An information technology (IT) architecture upper merged ontology which includes an upper merged ontology that is a representation framework for combined knowledge sources that are used in business and information technology; an upper merged ontology knowledge base containing information derived from an analysis of business and technical services pertaining to the IT architecture application; a plurality of semantic web application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow access to the upper merged ontology as a semantic web; a reasoning and constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting language having the capabilities of model creation, automated reasoning and search and query operations such that scripts developed in the reasoning and constraint language can execute using the semantic web APIs; and a computer processor for representing and performing execution tasks.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a single, formalized IT architectureontology which can absorb and reference knowledge from specialistontologies.

Ontologies are the structural frameworks for organizing information andare used in artificial intelligence, the Semantic Web, systemsengineering, software engineering, biomedical informatics, libraryscience, enterprise bookmarking, and information architecture as a formof knowledge representation about the world or some part of it. Thecreation of domain ontologies is also fundamental to the definition anduse of an enterprise architecture framework.

Contemporary ontologies share many structural similarities, regardlessof the language in which they are expressed. As mentioned above, mostontologies describe individuals (instances), classes (concepts),attributes, and relations.

Common components of ontologies include:

-   -   Individuals: instances or objects (the basic or “ground level”        objects).    -   Classes: sets, collections, concepts, classes in programming,        types of objects, or kinds of thing.    -   Attributes: aspects, properties, features, characteristics, or        parameters that objects (and classes) can have.    -   Relations: ways in which classes and individuals can be related        to one another.    -   Function terms: complex structures formed from certain relations        that can be used in place of an individual term in a statement.    -   Restrictions: formally stated descriptions of what must be true        in order for some assertion to be accepted as input.    -   Rules: statements in the form of an if-then        (antecedent-consequent) sentence that describe the logical        inferences that can be drawn from an assertion in a particular        form.    -   Axioms: assertions (including rules) in a logical form that        together comprise the overall theory that the ontology describes        in its domain of application. This definition differs from that        of “axioms” in generative grammar and formal logic. In those        disciplines, axioms include only statements asserted as a priori        knowledge. As used here, “axioms” also include the theory        derived from axiomatic statements.    -   Events: the changing of attributes or relations.

There are many partial ontologies for architectures in specialist areas,but they do not address the end-to-end knowledge management required forenterprise architecture integration.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The various advantages and purposes of the exemplary embodiments asdescribed above and hereafter are achieved by providing, according to afirst aspect of the exemplary embodiments, an information technology(IT) architecture upper merged ontology which includes: an upper mergedontology that is a representation framework for combined knowledgesources that are used in business and information technology, the uppermerged ontology including a plurality of domain models for a given ITarchitecture application; an upper merged ontology knowledge basecontaining information derived from an analysis of business andtechnical services pertaining to the IT architecture application; aplurality of semantic web application programming interfaces (APIs) thatallow access to the upper merged ontology as a semantic web; a reasoningand constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting language having thecapabilities of model creation, automated reasoning and search and queryoperations such that scripts developed in the reasoning and constraintlanguage can execute using the semantic web APIs; and a computerprocessor for representing and performing execution tasks involving theupper merged ontology, the upper merged ontology knowledge base, thesemantic APIs and the RaCL.

According to a second aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there isprovided a method of developing an operational model for an ITarchitecture application which includes: developing an informationtechnology (IT) architecture upper merged ontology for a given ITarchitecture application comprising:

-   -   an upper merged ontology that is a representation framework for        combined knowledge sources that are used in business and        information technology, the upper merged ontology including a        plurality of business, architecture and service domain models;    -   an upper merged ontology knowledge base containing information        derived from an analysis of business and technical services        pertaining to the IT architecture application;    -   a plurality of semantic web APIs that allow access to the upper        merged ontology as a semantic web; and    -   a reasoning and constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting        language having the capabilities of model creation, automated        reasoning and search and query operations such that scripts        developed in the reasoning and constraint language can be        executed through use of the semantic web APIs;        populating the upper merged ontology knowledge base with        information derived from an analysis of business and technical        services pertaining to the IT architecture application;        executing RaCL processes to search the upper merged ontology        knowledge base and extract knowledge pertaining to the IT        architecture application and processing the results to generate        dependency and interface relationships within an operational        model domain ontology; creating an architecture for the IT        architecture application from the operational model domain        ontology, dependency and interface relationships; and a computer        processor for performing the method.

According to a third aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there isprovided a computer program product for developing an operational modelfor an IT architecture application which includes a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium having computer readable program codeembodied therewith. The computer readable program code includes:computer readable program code configured to develop an informationtechnology (IT) architecture upper merged ontology for a given ITarchitecture application comprising:

-   -   an upper merged ontology that is a representation framework for        combined knowledge sources that are used in business and        information technology, the upper merged ontology including a        plurality of business, architecture and service domain models;    -   an upper merged ontology knowledge base containing information        derived from an analysis of business and technical services        pertaining to the IT architecture application;    -   a plurality of semantic web APIs that allow access to the upper        merged ontology as a semantic web; and    -   a reasoning and constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting        language having the capabilities of model creation, automated        reasoning and search and query operations such that scripts        developed in the reasoning and constraint language can be        executed through use of the semantic web APIs;        computer readable program code configured to populate the upper        merged ontology knowledge base with information derived from an        analysis of business and technical services pertaining to the IT        architecture application; computer readable program code        configured to execute RaCL processes to search the upper merged        ontology knowledge base and extract knowledge pertaining to the        IT architecture application and computer readable program code        configured to process the results to generate dependency and        interface relationships within an operational model domain        ontology; and computer readable program code configured to        create an architecture for the IT architecture application from        the operational model domain ontology, dependency and interface        relationships.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the exemplary embodiments believed to be novel and theelements characteristic of the exemplary embodiments are set forth withparticularity in the appended claims. The Figures are for illustrationpurposes only and are not drawn to scale. The exemplary embodiments,both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understoodby reference to the detailed description which follows taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of the upper merger ontology of theIT architecture upper merged ontology.

FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of the RaCL Language ComponentArchitecture.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for developing anoperational model for an IT architecture application.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware environmentfor the exemplary embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiments relate to an upper merged ontology whichsupports knowledge representation and functionality for maintenance,constraint processing and reasoning from specialist ontologies.

In particular, the exemplary embodiments relate to an informationtechnology (IT) architecture upper merged ontology including fourprincipal components, namely, an upper merged ontology (UMO), an uppermerged ontology knowledge base (UMOKB), semantic web applications and areasoning and constraint language (RaCL).

The exemplary embodiments are directed to the following problems:

-   -   Integrating knowledge management for business architecture, IT        architecture and subject-matter domain models to provide a        unified superstructure view in the form of an Upper Merged        Ontology (ITA/UMO).    -   Providing formal and semi-formal reasoning and constraint models        to drive inference in the context of the ITA/UMO.    -   Providing a set of ontology models to support the knowledge        representation and management in the related areas.    -   Providing a set of platform-neutral interface services to enable        external systems to update, search and test inferences against a        web or cloud-based ITA/UMO instance.

The UMO is a representation framework for combined knowledge sourcesthat are used in business and information technology. The UMO includes aplurality of domain models for a given IT architecture application.

In the context of the exemplary embodiments, the UMO central knowledgerepresentation is based on domain ontologies. A domain ontology (ordomain-specific ontology) models a specific domain, which representspart of the world.

Particular meanings of terms applied to that specific domain areprovided by domain ontology. For example the word card has manydifferent meanings. An ontology about the domain of poker would modelthe “playing card” meaning of the word, while an ontology about thedomain of computer hardware would model the “punched card” and “videocard” meanings.

A graphical representation of the UMO of the IT architecture UMO isillustrated in FIG. 1.

A number of domain ontologies may be provided to represent differentfacets of knowledge management in the specialist areas of the UMO, andto populate the UMO dimensions. The ontology templates as shown in FIG.1 may be:

-   -   Domain Model 102: represents business or technical        subject-matter knowledge in terms of Concepts, Events,        Processes, Entities, Measures, Temporal and Spatial        characteristics;    -   Business Model 104: facilitates business organization and        strategic knowledge in terms of Organisation Models, Processes,        Missions/Goals and Services;    -   IT Architecture Model 106: represents component elements and        relationships of IT architectures in terms of Infrastructure,        Systems, Applications, Services, Capabilities, Metrics,        Computational and Network elements;    -   Operational Model 108: represents real-world systems at the        operational level in terms of Locations, Nodes, Connectors,        Components, Data and Transaction Flows;    -   Services Library 110: represents common descriptions of services        in different domains, primarily technical and business;    -   Metrics Library 112: represents measurement indicators        (Performance, Capacity, Risk, Life-Cycle, etc), their        calculation and interpretations in the different domains;    -   Use Case Library 114: represents use cases and business        processes in business and IT architecture contexts;    -   Pattern Library 116: represents problem-solving patterns, their        implementations, constraints and usage in IT architecture;    -   Case Library 118: represents historical view of systems        developments, pattern applications/results and experiences.

The above list of domain ontologies is not meant to be exclusive and forany given application, there may be additional domain ontologies. In apreferred exemplary embodiment, the domain model, IT architecture model,operational model, metrics library and pattern library may be the mostsignificant domain ontologies and may be included in every UMO.

An upper ontology (or foundation ontology) is a model of the commonobjects that are generally applicable across a wide range of domainontologies. It employs a core glossary that contains the terms andassociated object descriptions as they are used in various relevantdomain sets.

In the context of the exemplary embodiments, the Upper Merged Ontologycomponent (UMO) is a representation framework for the combined knowledgesources which are used in business and IT architecture. The UMO isorganized according to the following dimensions, which contain the coreglossary for the IT architecture domains and references to the domainontology concepts and objects which are relevant:

-   -   Subject-Matter Expertise (Domain Models, Services, Use-Cases,        Metrics and Patterns)    -   Business Expertise (Business Models, Organizational Models,        Services, Metrics and Business Processes)    -   IT Architecture Expertise (Operational Models, IT Architecture        Models, Services, Patterns, Metrics, Cases)

Shown in FIG. 1 are the nine domain models representative of theexemplary embodiments. At this point, the UMO is just a framework asthere may be no data filling each of the domains.

The IT architecture UMO further includes a UMOKB which containsinformation derived from an analysis of business and technical servicespertaining to the application. Often, databases of relevant informationcan be read into the UMOKB. The UMOKB contains descriptions of thebusiness and technical services defined in other source databases andknowledge bases, maintains relationship links between these elements andprovides indices to the original definitions in the sources.

The IT architects working on the application need to develop anoperational model as a basis for the IT architecture application.However, there is not yet an operational model to work from.

RaCL is designed as a platform for developing tools, as a scriptinglanguage and as a sublanguage in a logic programming environment. The ITarchitecture UMO further includes RaCL which has the capabilities ofmodel creation, automated reasoning and search and query operations suchthat scripts developed in RaCL can execute using the semantic web APIs.

RaCL may execute processes to search the upper merged ontology knowledgebase and extract knowledge pertaining to the IT architecture applicationand processing the results to generate dependency and interfacerelationships within an operational model domain ontology.

In the context of RaCL, model creation may include specifying views overthe UMO for consideration, and applying search, reasoning andtransformation algorithms to those views, automated reasoning mayinclude generation of inferences over models in problem-solving andautomated learning support, and search and query operations may includeexecution of search via relational, inference or pattern-matching overthe knowledge in the UMO space.

RaCL is a functional language, with object-oriented capabilities and isextensible by use of “service” interfaces to specialist libraries orexternal systems. The current version of RaCL may be implemented in theClojure Lisp and Java languages, with all API's implemented as Javaclass libraries. Programs and scripts developed in RaCL may be compiledto pure Java for distribution and execution. The currently supportedprogramming syntax for RaCL is an extension of the Clojure syntax.

The IDE (integrated development environment) for RaCL is an editing,execution control and debugging tool which facilitates development ofRaCL programs and scripts. The RaCL Runtime Environment is a highlevelinterpreter which accesses the core environment for all key functions.It can also be used to launch a compiler for RaCL programs, whichgenerate the equivalent Java implementations.

A graphical representation of the RaCL language component architecture200 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The architecture may include the followingcomponents: Core Language and Support Services 202, Workspace Management204, Information Management 206 and Integration with ExternalSystems/Services 208. Each of these components is described in detailhereafter.

The RaCL Core Language and Support Services 202 provide the runtimeexecution functionality for RaCL programs and scripts and may be made upof the following elements:

-   -   RaCL Core Interpreter 210: the Core Interpreter is the execution        engine for RaCL programs and scripts. It also handles        scheduling, exception management, input/output operations and        all memory management and housekeeping.    -   System Services 212: the System Services are a library of        functions for interacting with the host operating system and for        network communications.    -   Analytics Services 214: the Analytics Services library provides        a set of internal functions to allow data analysis and        statistical processes to be developed. It also provides a set of        interfaces to the R statistics system.    -   Reasoning Support Services 216: the Reasoning Support Services        are a set of functions that enable the setup and execution of        problem solving workflows. This library is a control layer for        the use of the Semantic Web, UMO API, Search and Rules        libraries.    -   Semantic Web Services 218: the Semantic Web Services library        provides a set of functions for analysis and manipulation of        ontologies expressed in the OWL language. The ontologies may be        locally stored, or located in the World Wide Web space.    -   UMO API 220: the UMO API provides an ontology interface, class        factory, Java interfaces and complete methods for all entities        defined within the scope of the UMO.    -   Search Services 222: the Search Service library provides a set        of functions for navigating through the UMO and related        ontologies, using the blackboard functions to preserve state        information, and (optionally) under the control of the Agenda        Services.    -   Rules Engine 224: the Rules Engine is a subsystem which enables        rule production systems defined in RaCL models to be executed,        based on either the RETE algorithm or an embedded DATALOG        subset.    -   Agent Services 226: the Agent Services library provides        functions for the definition and execution of software agents        defined in the RaCL language.

The Workspace Management 204 component of RaCL provides support formemory operations, for both normal operations and for reasoning support,and may include the following elements.

-   -   Workspace Services 228: the Workplace Services library provides        functions for creating, accessing and deleting variable and        object definitions during runtime.    -   Blackboard Reasoning Support Services 230: the Blackboard        Reasoning Support Services provide a memory model and functions        to support blackboard operations in running RaCL programs and        reasoning/evaluation tasks. The functions allow information        collected from agents to be shared between all running        processes.    -   Agenda Services 232: the Agenda Services library provides a        scheduler memory model and functions to support control of        complex reasoning processes.    -   Transformation Services 234: the Transformation Services library        provides a memory space and functions to support representation        transformation of knowledge or information. Example: OWL        representation of an operational model to UML.

The Information Management 206 component of RaCL provides support forinterfaces to databases, data stores, ontologies and document managementsystems that may be hosted locally to the RaCL runtime environment, ordistributed over networks or the Web and may include the followingelements.

-   -   Persistent Object Services 236: the PO services provide a set of        interfaces for the RaCL interpreter to store, retrieve and        manage information in external data stores. These stores include        relational databases, NoSQL databases and Hadoop file systems.    -   Ontology Services 238: the Ontology Services provide a library        of functions for connecting to ontologies—either on the Web or        locally stored—and managing query and update activities. These        are important for the support of the Semantic Web Services.    -   Metadata Services 240: the Metadata Services library provides        functions for management of metadata with respect to UMO        processing, particularly when enriching KB contents with        annotations. It may use local metadata databases, or those        hosted external to the environment.    -   Document Processing Services 242: the Document Processing        Services library provides a set of functional interfaces to        external documentation management systems for storage, retrieval        or editing processes.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the RaCL Language Component Architecture mayintegrate with External Systems/Services 208 such as External DataStores 244, external Ontologies 246, Architecture Repositories 248, DataWarehouses 250, Document Management Systems 252 and Architecture PatternLibraries 254.

The IT architecture UMO further includes semantic web APIs to allowaccess to the UMO as a semantic web. A semantic web provides a commonframework that allows specialist data to be shared and reused acrossapplication, enterprise and community boundaries.

The Semantic Web API is a Java library that allows any using applicationto access the UMO as a Semantic Web, according to the W3C (World WideWeb Consortium) classification. The library may provide functionalityfor creation and update of knowledge elements in the UMO or relatedontologies; search and retrieval via pattern-matching, relational orinferential search; evaluation of logical or reasoning operationsagainst elements of the UMO or related ontologies which includesenforcing or testing constraints inherent in the ontology models; andexecution of RaCL models or functions, and return of the results. TheAPI's object model may use the UMO class model, and include a number oftransformation tools to allow information retrieved from the UMO to bemapped into other notations and languages, for example XML and UMLnotations.

The UMO may use the OWL (Web Ontology Language) and RDF (resourcedescription framework) as the core representation notations. Theconstraints (types, allowed relationships and inferences) may bedescribed within the context of the OWL notation. They are accessible tothe RaCL and any other tool which can parse the OWL notation.

Finally, an IT architecture for the application may be created from theoperational model domain ontology, dependency and interfacerelationships.

There is also an exemplary embodiment of a method disclosed asillustrated in FIG. 3. The method 300 pertains to developing anoperational model for an IT architecture application. In a first step ofthe method 300, box 302, an information technology (IT) architectureontology for a given application is developed. The IT architectureontology may comprise the IT architecture ontology discussed previouslywhich includes an upper merged ontology (UMO), an upper merged ontologyknowledge base (UMOKB), a plurality of semantic web APIs and a reasoningand constraint language (RaCL).

Thereafter, the UMOKB is populated with information derived from ananalysis of business and technical services pertaining to the ITarchitecture application, box 304. The UMOKB may be populated, in oneexemplary embodiment, by reading relevant databases directly into theUMOKB.

Then, RaCL processes may be executed to search the upper merged ontologyknowledge base and extract knowledge pertaining to the IT architectureapplication and processing the results to generate dependency andinterface relationships within an operational model domain ontology, box306.

Finally, as shown in box 308, an architecture for the application may becreated from the operational model domain ontology, dependency andinterface relationships.

The exemplary embodiments have the following advantages:

-   -   Enables collaborative business analysis and IT architecture        practice across WAN, Web or Cloud-based.    -   Integrates multiple knowledge sources into a common ontology        which relates Business, Domain and IT Architecture knowledge in        multiple dimensions.    -   Allows coupling of disparate architecture and system design        tools across distributed environments.    -   Allows reasoning and design constraint modelling in the context        of problem solving.

The computing devices implementing the exemplary embodiments may be ageneral-purpose computer or a special purpose computing device such as ahand-held computer. FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates oneexemplary hardware environment of the computing devices. The exemplaryembodiments may be implemented using a computer 410 comprised ofmicroprocessor means, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM)and other components. The computer 410 may be a personal computer,server, mainframe computer, hand-held device or other computing device.Resident in the computer 410, or peripheral to it, may be a storagedevice 414 of some type such as a hard disk drive, floppy disk drive,CD-ROM drive, tape drive or other storage device.

Generally speaking, the software implementation of the exemplaryembodiments, program 412 in FIG. 4, may be tangibly embodied in acomputer-readable medium such as one of the storage devices 414mentioned above. The program 412 may comprise instructions which, whenread and executed by the microprocessor of the computer 410, may causethe computer 410 to perform the steps necessary to execute the steps orelements of the exemplary embodiments.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of theexemplary embodiments may be embodied as a system, method, servicemethod or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of theexemplary embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardwareembodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining softwareand hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a“circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the exemplaryembodiments may take the form of a computer program product embodied inone or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable programcode embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible or non-transitory medium that can contain, orstore a program for use by or in connection with an instructionexecution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of theexemplary embodiments may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages or even Microsoft Excel/Access. The program codemay execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user'scomputer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user'scomputer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remotecomputer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may beconnected to the user's computer through any type of network, includinga local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or theconnection may be made to an external computer (for example, through theInternet using an Internet Service Provider).

Aspects of the exemplary embodiments have been described above withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to theexemplary embodiments. It will be understood that each block of theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations ofblocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can beimplemented by computer program instructions. These computer programinstructions may be provided to a processor of a general purposecomputer, special purpose computer, or other programmable dataprocessing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions,which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus, create means for implementing thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and/or block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, service methods and computer program productsaccording to the exemplary embodiments. In this regard, each block inthe flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, orportion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having regard to thisdisclosure that other modifications of the exemplary embodiments beyondthose embodiments specifically described here may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, suchmodifications are considered within the scope of the invention aslimited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information technology (IT) architecture uppermerged ontology comprising: an upper merged ontology that is arepresentation framework for combined knowledge sources that are used inbusiness and information technology, the upper merged ontology includinga plurality of domain models for a given IT architecture application; anupper merged ontology knowledge base containing information derived froman analysis of business and technical services pertaining to the ITarchitecture application; a plurality of semantic web applicationprogramming interfaces (APIs) that allow access to the upper mergedontology as a semantic web; a reasoning and constraint language (RaCL)that is a scripting language having the capabilities of model creation,automated reasoning and search and query operations such that scriptsdeveloped in the reasoning and constraint language can execute using thesemantic web APIs; and a computer processor for representing andperforming execution tasks involving the upper merged ontology, theupper merged ontology knowledge base, the semantic APIs and the RaCL. 2.The IT architecture ontology of claim 1 wherein the plurality of domainmodels include: a domain model representing business or technicalsubject matter knowledge in a plurality of domains; an IT architecturemodel representing component elements and relationships of ITarchitectures; an operational model representing real-world systems atan operational level; a metrics library representing measurementindicators, their calculation and interpretations in the differentdomains; and a pattern library representing problem-solving patterns,their implementations, constraints and usage in IT architecture.
 3. TheIT architecture ontology of claim 1 wherein the plurality of domainmodels include: a domain model representing business or technicalsubject matter knowledge in a plurality of domains; a business modelfacilitating business organization and strategic knowledge; an ITarchitecture model representing component elements and relationships ofIT architectures; an operational model representing real-world systemsat an operational level; a services library representing commondescriptions of services in different domains; a metrics libraryrepresenting measurement indicators, their calculation andinterpretations in the different domains; a use case libraryrepresenting use cases and business processes in business processes inbusiness and IT architecture contexts; a pattern library representingproblem-solving patterns, their implementations, constraints and usagein IT architecture; and a case library representing an historical viewof systems developments, pattern application, results and experiences.4. The IT architecture ontology of claim 1 wherein the plurality ofsemantic web APIs provide functionality for creation and update ofknowledge elements in the upper merged ontology, search and retrieval,evaluation of logical or reasoning operations against elements of theupper merged ontology and execution of RaCL models or functions andreturn of the results.
 5. The IT architecture ontology of claim 1wherein the RaCL provides the following capabilities using the uppermerged ontology, the domain models and the semantic web APIs: modelcreation, automated reasoning and search and query operations.
 6. Amethod of developing an operational model for an IT architectureapplication comprising: developing an information technology (IT)architecture upper merged ontology for a given IT architectureapplication comprising: an upper merged ontology that is arepresentation framework for combined knowledge sources that are used inbusiness and information technology, the upper merged ontology includinga plurality of business, architecture and service domain models; anupper merged ontology knowledge base containing information derived froman analysis of business and technical services pertaining to the ITarchitecture application; a plurality of semantic web APIs that allowaccess to the upper merged ontology as a semantic web; and a reasoningand constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting language having thecapabilities of model creation, automated reasoning and search and queryoperations such that scripts developed in the reasoning and constraintlanguage can be executed through use of the semantic web APIs;populating the upper merged ontology knowledge base with informationderived from an analysis of business and technical services pertainingto the IT architecture application; executing RaCL processes to searchthe upper merged ontology knowledge base and extract knowledgepertaining to the IT architecture application and processing the resultsto generate dependency and interface relationships within an operationalmodel domain ontology; creating an architecture for the IT architectureapplication from the operational model domain ontology, dependency andinterface relationships; and a computer processor for performing themethod.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of domain modelsinclude: a domain model representing business or technical subjectmatter knowledge in a plurality of domains; an IT architecture modelrepresenting component elements and relationships of IT architectures;an operational model representing real-world systems at an operationallevel; a metrics library representing measurement indicators, theircalculation and interpretations in the different domains; and a patternlibrary representing problem-solving patterns, their implementations,constraints and usage in IT architecture.
 8. The method of claim 6wherein the plurality of domain models include: a domain modelrepresenting business or technical subject matter knowledge in aplurality of domains; a business model facilitating businessorganization and strategic knowledge; an IT architecture modelrepresenting component elements and relationships of IT architectures;an operational model representing real-world systems at an operationallevel; a services library representing common descriptions of servicesin different domains; a metrics library representing measurementindicators, their calculation and interpretations in the differentdomains; a use case library representing use cases and businessprocesses in business processes in business and IT architecturecontexts; a pattern library representing problem-solving patterns, theirimplementations, constraints and usage in IT architecture; and a caselibrary representing an historical view of systems developments, patternapplication, results and experiences.
 9. The method of claim 6 whereinthe plurality of semantic web APIs provide functionality for creationand update of knowledge elements in the upper merged ontology, searchand retrieval, evaluation of logical or reasoning operations againstelements of the upper merged ontology and execution of RaCL models orfunctions and return of the results.
 10. The method of claim 6 whereinthe RaCL provides the following capabilities using the upper mergedontology, the domain models and the semantic web APIs: model creation,automated reasoning and search and query operations.
 11. A computerprogram product for developing an operational model for an ITarchitecture application comprising: a non-transitory computer readablestorage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith,the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable programcode configured to develop an information technology (IT) architectureupper merged ontology for a given IT architecture applicationcomprising: an upper merged ontology that is a representation frameworkfor combined knowledge sources that are used in business and informationtechnology, the upper merged ontology including a plurality of business,architecture and service domain models; an upper merged ontologyknowledge base containing information derived from an analysis ofbusiness and technical services pertaining to the IT architectureapplication; a plurality of semantic web APIs that allow access to theupper merged ontology as a semantic web; and a reasoning and constraintlanguage (RaCL) that is a scripting language having the capabilities ofmodel creation, automated reasoning and search and query operations suchthat scripts developed in the reasoning and constraint language can beexecuted through use of the semantic web APIs; computer readable programcode configured to populate the upper merged ontology knowledge basewith information derived from an analysis of business and technicalservices pertaining to the IT architecture application; computerreadable program code configured to execute RaCL processes to search theupper merged ontology knowledge base and extract knowledge pertaining tothe IT architecture application and computer readable program codeconfigured to process the results to generate dependency and interfacerelationships within an operational model domain ontology; and computerreadable program code configured to create an architecture for the ITarchitecture application from the operational model domain ontology,dependency and interface relationships.
 12. The computer program productof claim 11 wherein the plurality of domain models include: a domainmodel representing business or technical subject matter knowledge in aplurality of domains; an IT architecture model representing componentelements and relationships of IT architectures; an operational modelrepresenting real-world systems at an operational level; a metricslibrary representing measurement indicators, their calculation andinterpretations in the different domains; and a pattern libraryrepresenting problem-solving patterns, their implementations,constraints and usage in IT architecture.
 13. The computer programproduct of claim 11 wherein the plurality of domain models include: adomain model representing business or technical subject matter knowledgein a plurality of domains; a business model facilitating businessorganization and strategic knowledge; an IT architecture modelrepresenting component elements and relationships of IT architectures;an operational model representing real-world systems at an operationallevel; a services library representing common descriptions of servicesin different domains; a metrics library representing measurementindicators, their calculation and interpretations in the differentdomains; a use case library representing use cases and businessprocesses in business processes in business and IT architecturecontexts; a pattern library representing problem-solving patterns, theirimplementations, constraints and usage in IT architecture; and a caselibrary representing an historical view of systems developments, patternapplication, results and experiences.
 14. The computer program productof claim 11 wherein the plurality of semantic web APIs providefunctionality for creation and update of knowledge elements in the uppermerged ontology, search and retrieval, evaluation of logical orreasoning operations against elements of the upper merged ontology andexecution of RaCL models or functions and return of the results.
 15. Thecomputer program product of claim 11 wherein the RaCL provides thefollowing capabilities using the upper merged ontology, the domainmodels and the semantic web APIs: model creation, automated reasoningand search and query operations.